Input device

Abstract

An input device is equipped with an operation member that is capable of performing an operation by a hand of an operator; a braking unit configured to brake a movement of the operation member; a speed determiner configured to determine a current speed of the operation member; and a controller configured to cause the braking unit to brake the movement of the operation member in response to the current speed of the operation member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An input device comprising:
 a member configured to be operated by a hand of an operator; 
 a brake configured to brake a movement of the member; 
 a controller configured to: 
 determine a current speed of the member based on a current position of the member and a previous position of the member, 
 cause the brake to brake the movement of the member in response to the current speed of the member, 
 determine a position of the member repeatedly, 
 acquire information relating to a target position where the member is to be stopped, 
 adjust an activation start timing of the brake in response to a difference between the target position and the current position of the member and the current speed of the member, and 
 determine, as the target position, based on a current movement direction of the member, a position corresponding to one of two end positions of plural gear positions of a transmission of a vehicle in which the input device is installed. 
 
     
     
       2. The input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to cause the brake to brake the movement of the member when the current speed of the member is higher than or equal to a predetermined reference speed. 
 
     
     
       3. The input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to alter a braking parameter for braking the movement of the member in response to the current speed, and cause the brake to brake the movement of the member using the altered braking parameter. 
 
     
     
       4. The input device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to determine the braking parameter based on a table that correlates the current speed of the member with the braking parameter, and cause the brake to brake the movement of the member using the determined braking parameter. 
 
     
     
       5. The input device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to switch the braking parameter in a stepwise fashion each time the current speed of the member passes a predetermined threshold value. 
 
     
     
       6. The input device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to determine the braking parameter based on a function that correlates the current speed of the member with the braking parameter, and cause the brake to brake the movement of the member using the determined braking parameter. 
 
     
     
       7. The input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to set the activation start timing of the brake corresponding to the current speed of the member earlier than an activation start timing of the brake corresponding to a predetermined reference speed. 
 
     
     
       8. The input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to determine a start of activation of the brake when a movement amount from a position of the member where the member is moved with the current speed to a position of the member where braking of the movement of the member is started falls within a range from the difference between the target position and the current position of the member minus a predetermined value to the difference plus the predetermined value. 
 
     
     
       9. The input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the movement is a rotational movement, 
 wherein the current speed is a current rotational speed. 
 
     
     
       10. The input device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to determine the current rotational speed of the member based on the current position of the member and the previous position of the member. 
 
     
     
       11. The input device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to cause the brake to brake the rotational movement of the member when the current rotational speed of the member is higher than or equal to a predetermined reference speed. 
 
     
     
       12. The input device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to alter a braking parameter for braking the rotational movement of the member in response to the current rotational speed, and cause the brake to brake the rotational movement of the member using the altered braking parameter. 
 
     
     
       13. The input device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a speed determiner configured to determine the current speed of the member. 
 
     
     
       14. An input device comprising:
 a member configured to be operated by a hand of an operator; 
 a brake configured to brake a movement of the member; 
 a controller configured to: 
 determine a current speed of the member based on a current position of the member and a previous position of the member, 
 cause the brake to brake the movement of the member in response to the current speed of the member, 
 determine a position of the member repeatedly, 
 acquire information relating to a target position where the member is to be stopped, 
 adjust an activation start timing of the brake in response to a difference between the target position and the current position of the member and the current speed of the member, 
 determine, as the target position, based on a current movement direction of the member, a position corresponding to an intermediate gear position between two end positions of plural gear positions of a transmission of a vehicle in which the input device is installed. 
 
     
     
       15. The input device according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to cause the brake to brake the movement of the member when the current speed of the member is higher than or equal to a predetermined reference speed. 
 
     
     
       16. The input device according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to alter a braking parameter for braking the movement of the member in response to the current speed, and cause the brake to brake the movement of the member using the altered braking parameter. 
 
     
     
       17. An input device comprising:
 a member configured to be operated by a hand of an operator; 
 a brake configured to brake a movement of the member; 
 a controller configured to: 
 determine a current speed of the member based on a current position of the member and a previous position of the member, 
 cause the brake to brake the movement of the member in response to the current speed of the member, 
 determine a position of the member repeatedly, 
 acquire information relating to a target position where the member is to be stopped, 
 adjust an activation start timing of the brake in response to a difference between the target position and the current position of the member and the current speed of the member, 
 determine a running direction of a vehicle in which the input device is installed, and 
 determine, as the target position, based on at least the determined running direction of the vehicle and a current movement direction of the member, a position corresponding to a gear position adjoining a gear position which causes a change in the running direction of the vehicle among plural gear positions of a transmission of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       18. The input device according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to cause the brake to brake the movement of the member when the current speed of the member is higher than or equal to a predetermined reference speed. 
 
     
     
       19. The input device according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to alter a braking parameter for braking the movement of the member in response to the current speed, and cause the brake to brake the movement of the member using the altered braking parameter.